Rickenbacker Model 330 FireGlo, 2020 [USED]

Here is a lovely Rickenbacker Model 330 FireGlo thinline hollow body electric, in very good clean original condition, dating to the third week of February 2020.  Like all other Rics it was built in Santa Ana, California.  The serial number, located on the output jack plate, is in two sections, one '20' for the year since 2000, and the lower section '07696' with the first two numbers indicating the week of the year.  

This guitar is built with Maple for the top/sides and back, with Maple and Walnut for the neck.  The fingerboard is Chechen (Caribbean Rosewood, "Metopium brownei" ), on older models until about 2011, African Rosewood or Bubinga.  The top and sides of the guitar are a larger billet of wood (usually Maple, sometimes Walnut), routed out to create the open space or chambers and center supports inside the guitar, and the back is a separate piece glued on. The top is also X-braced.  The pickups are the modern 'High Gain' units and tuners are Schaller minis. 

The Rickenbacker Model 330 is one of my all time favourite guitars, with a dramatic yet practical design – it’s hard to get a successful combination of those two aspects!

The Rickenbacker Model 330 (and 360) design dates back to the late 1950’s when their new designer, Roger Rossmeisl, created a number of forward-looking designs including the Cresting Wave shape as used on 4000 series basses, chambered body and slash soundholes.  In the early 1970's both Rossmeisl and the chambered body concept moved to Fender and the Telecaster Thinline appeared. 

On this Rickenbacker Model 330 Fireglo, the finish really stands out and shows off the contours, without being overly dramatic or flashy; it’s really quite well done. This guitar is presently strung with standard 10-46 strings and plays well. The light weight is always welcome, and it has a great resonance from the chambered, braced body.   

Rickenbacker uses a two-part UV cured, low solvent 'Catalyzed Varnish' finish, and has for the last few decades. This finish is 'hand applied' meaning that it is applied with a hand-operated spray gun. This takes some skill!  The instruments are then hung in a no-heat 'oven', which emits UV light, not heat, to harden and cure the finish.  This process means that there are very few solvents used or introduced into the environment (or into the staff). 

Nitrocellulose lacquer was used by Rickenbacker until the end of the 1950's, and for a short time 'Fullerplast' sealer was used, with that name coming from its inventor, Fuller O'Brien.  Fender also used Fullerplast for sealer layers starting around 1963 as they too moved away from nitrocellulose lacquers. 

The original Ric-branded, molded hard shell case is included.

There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here

 

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DETAILS: 

• Instrument Model:  Model 330
• Instrument Manufacturer:  Rickenbacker
• Instrument year:  2020
• Instrument Finish:  FireGlo 
• Instrument Class:  Thinline Electric 6-String
• Instrument serial number: 20 07696, built 3rd week of February 2020 at Santa Ana CA
• Country of Origin:  USA
• Instrument Condition: Very Good
• Playing Condition:  Very Good
• Right-handed 
• CITIES Documentation Required: No
• Instrument Weight Imperial: 7.656 lbs
• Instrument Weight Metric: 3.48 kgs
• Scale Length Imperial: 24.75 in
• Scale Length Metric: 628.6 mm
• Nut Width Imperial: 1.638 in
• Nut Width Metric:  41.62 mm
• Case included: Yes
• Case original:  Yes
• Case Type: Hardshell Molded Rectanglular, Rickenbacker Branded
• Items in Case: Polish Cloth
• Consignment: Yes
• Product ID: 190474

 

There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here